Caleb c



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CALEB O. POLK, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOWVELLINGTON HUNTINGTON, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO ATTACHM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.%52,141, dated December31, 1895.

Application filed June 6, 1895. Serial No. 551,860. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALEB O. POLK, of Valparaiso, in the county ofPorter, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Piano Attachments; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying draw ings, forming a part of this specification,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in piano attachments, and has forits object to provide an attachment which, when thrown into operation,will so modify or change the tone of the strings of the piano as tocause the instrument to give forth tones like those of the mandolin,guitar, or other like instrument; and the invention consists in certainnovel details of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts, all of which will be described in the following specification andthe particular features of novelty pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of theattachment, showing the application to a piano. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view showingthe strikers placedbehind the strings of the piano and the operating mechanism therefor.Fig. 4. is a detail view of one of the strikers. Figs. 5 and 6 aredetail views of a modified form of striker.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The letter a indicates the strings of an upright piano, 1) the damper,and c the hammer, these parts being of the usual construction andneeding no further description.

Extending across the piano and preferably in front of the strings is abar G, supported at each end by the arms D, carried by the damper'flangeE. Mounted on this rod are a series of strikers F, of any suitable orpreferred material, and having a relatively thin shank portion f to givethem the necessary resiliency or springiness, and are formed with athickened end or head portion f, having a straight contacting edge, asshown in Fig. 3.

Extending across the piano in front of the strikers is a bar G supportedat each end by arms G1 formed integral with or attached to said bar,connected to a rock-shaft II, pivoted at each end in brackets J on thedamperspring rail. At one end the rock-shaft is provided with acrank-arm K, and co-operating with this arm is a rod L connected withsuitable pedal mechanism,whereby the rock-shaft may be operated, as willbe understood, for a purpose to be explained.

The operation of the device will now be understood. The strikers arenormally held retracted and out of contact with the pianostrings. When,however, it is desired to bring the strikers into operative position,the performer simply presses upon the pedal, and through the describedmechanism elevates the bar G, whereupon the strikers are released andspring into contact with the strings, the vibration of the string, afterbeing struck by the hammer, vibrating and prolonging the vibration ofthe strikers. There is, however, another operation of the device whichproduces a very pleasing effect. The strings of the piano being undergreat tension, when the strikers are released and strike the stringsthey will bound and rebound several times against the strings. Now thekeys of the piano may be gently pressed down without causing the hammerto strike the wires. At the same time the wires will be free from thedampers belonging to the keys that have been struck. If the strikers benow released, by striking against the strings corresponding to the keyspressed down they will bound and rebound against them and cause them togive forth tones in imitation of the mandolin without being caused tovibrate by a blow of the hammer.

The strikers instead of being made in one piece may be formed of aseparate head portion M carried by a spring-shank m, as shown in Figs. 5and 6, in which form the head has a disk or circular contacting surfaceN, the head being of any suitable or preferred material, such ascelluloid, bone, dzc.

\Vhile the strikers have been described as arranged in front of thestrings, they can as well be placed behind them, and such an arrangementis illustrated in Fig. 3. Referring to this figure, A. are bracketsfastened to the sounding-board orsome other part of the back of thepiano, one at each end, and secured to these brackets is a bar G,carrying the springstrikers F. Mounted on this bar are arms J, uponwhich is pivotally supported a rockshaft H, which carries arms G uponwhich in turn is supported abar G which normally holds the strikers backfrom the strings, as shown in full lines. The rock-shaft is connected bymeans of a rod K to a pedal, whereby the shaft may be turned to releasethe strikers, as shown in dotted lines, to permit them to come intocontact with the strings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Thecombination with the strings, the bar extending across the strings, theflexible strikers carried thereby, the rod for holding said strikers outof contact with the strings, and means for elevating the rod to permitthe strikers to automatically spring into contact with the strings;substantially as described.

2. The combination with the strings, the bar extending across thestrings, the flexible strikers carried thereby, the rod or bar forholding the strikers bent back out of contact with the strings, the rockshaft upon which said last mentioned bar is carried, and means forrocking said rock shaft to elevate the retaining bar, and release thestrikers; substantially as described.

8. The combination with the strings, the bar extending across thestrings, the series of flexible strikers carried thereby, the retainingrod or bar for holding the strikers retracted, the rock shafts uponwhich said retaining bar is supported, the arm 011 the rock shaft andthe rod cooperating with the arm to rock the shaft, whereby theretaining bar will be elevated and the strikers thrown into operativeposition; substantially described.

CALEB C. POLK.

lVitnesses:

N. L. AGNEW, HELENE OWEN.

